Games Played in Colonial Rhode Island

Adult Games

• Nine Pins – Precursor to bowling; wooden stick rolled to knock down 9 pins on a long lane.
• Shuffleboard – Metal discs pushed with cues on a long table with scoring zones.
• Card Games – Whist, cribbage, poker in taverns and gatherings.
• Dice Games – Backgammon, craps, hazard—also tavern favorites.

Children's Games

• Tag, hide-and-seek, leapfrog—played outdoors in fields/woods.

These reflect English colonial traditions adapted to New England life, with taverns as social hubs for gaming.